Pancit

Pancit

Pancit palabok
Alternative names	Pansit
Type	Noodle
Place of origin	Philippines, China, Northern Mariana Island
Variations	Lutong pancit
Cookbook: Pancit  Media: Pancit

Pancit luglug topped with hardboiled eggs, shrimp, and chorizo.

In Filipino cuisine, pancit or pansit are noodles. Noodles were introduced into the Philippines by the Chinese and have since been adopted into local cuisine. The term pancit is derived from the Hokkien pian i sit (Chinese: 便ê食; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: piān-ê-si̍t or Chinese: 便食; pinyin: biàn shí) which literally means "convenient food."^[1] Different kinds of noodles can be found in Filipino supermarkets which can then be cooked at home. Noodle dishes are also standard fare in local restaurants. Food establishments specializing in noodles are often referred to as panciterias.

Nancy Reyes Lumen of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism writes that according to food lore handed down from the Chinese, noodles should be eaten on one's birthday.^[1] They are therefore commonly served at birthday celebrations and Chinese restaurants in the Philippines often have "birthday noodles" listed on their menus. However, she warns that since "noodles represent long life and good health; they must not be cut short so as not to corrupt the symbolism."^[1]

Variations

Kare-kare, lengua with white sauce and pancit canton-bihon (Filipino catering)

• Buko Pancit (coconut strips are substituted for noodles, a specialty of Quezon province)
• Pancit Abra (common in Northern Luzon particularly in the province of Abra)
• Pancit Alanganin
• Pancit ni Juli
• Pancit Alahoy
• Pancit Batchoy
• Pancit Bato is local to the Bicol Region; especially the town of Bato in Camarines Sur.
• Pancit Bihon Guisado
• Pancit Bihongundoy
• Pancit Cabagan
• Pancit Canton (Lo mein and chow mein)
• Pancit Canton Ilonggo
• Pancit Chami (Lucena City, Quezon)
• Pancit Estacion (Tanza, Cavite)
• Pancit Habhab (Lucban, Quezon)
• Pancit Kilawin (a variety pancit originated from Rosario, Cavite. In lieu of pancit noodles, shredded unripe papaya fruit is used cooked with vinegar and fish. Usually partnered with Dinuguan dish)
• Pancit Kinalas (Naga City, Camarines Sur)
• Pancit Lanu (San Vicente Street in San Pedro, Laguna)
• Pancit Lomi
• Pancit Lucban
• Pancit Luglog
• Pancit Malabon
• Pancit Mami (round egg noodles)
• Pancit Miki (round egg noodles)
• Pancit Míki-Bíhon Guisado (round egg noodles + bihon)
• Pancit Olongapo (Pancit Miki with Sarsa sauce. Miki cooked in tradition added with sarsa a thickened chicken and pork broth, darkened a little with soy sauce of choice)
• Pancit Molo (wonton soup with wonton wrappers added to the broth, serving as its "noodles")
• Pancit Moròng
• Pancit Palabok
• Pancit Pula (variation of Pancit Miki from Batangas City)
• Pancit Pusit
• Pancit Sotanghon
• Pansit Sabaw (Pansit Miki with soup)
• Pansit Tuguegarao or Batil Patong
• Pansit Sinanta (also from Tuguegarao, consists of flat egg noodles, bihon, clams and chicken, with broth colored with annatto)

Pancit bihon (bijon)

Pancit bihon (aka bijon) is the type usually associated with the word "pancit", very thin rice noodles fried with soy sauce some citrus, possibly with patis, and some variation of sliced meat and chopped vegetables. The exact bihon composition depends on someone's personal recipe but usually, Chinese sausage and cabbage are the basic ingredients in a pancit bihon.

Pancit palabok and pancit luglug are essentially the same dish, the difference being primarily in the noodles used in the recipe. Luglug uses a thicker noodle than the traditional bihon of a pancit palabok. Both pancit dishes use a round rice noodle (often specifically labeled for pancit luglug or palabok) smothered with a thick, golden shrimp sauce or other flavored sauce, and topped with:

• Shrimp, (the size and shell-on or shell-off depending on preference)
• Crushed or ground pork rind
• Hard-boiled egg (sliced into disks or quartered lengthwise or chopped)
• Tinapa (smoked fish) flakes
• Freshly minced green onion

Pancit palabok/pancit luglog and pancit canton are communal comfort food, and can be found at nearly all Filipino potluck parties. They are best made and eaten in batches for they are easily consumed.

Pancit sotanghon is a cellophane noodle soup with a chicken broth base. It may include some kind of meat and vegetable. A typical sotanghon is made with calamansi, sliced straw mushrooms, slivered dark-meat chicken and green onion.

Batil patong is not commonly known outside of Tuguegarao in the province of Cagayan in Northern Luzon, Philippines. It is an unusual noodle dish with a sauce based on soy and "cara-beef" beef broth. It is served with two piquant side dishes: a cup of egg-drop soup made with the same cara-beef broth; and a dish of chopped onions, vinegar or calamansi, chili peppers, and soy sauce. The noodles are usually wheat-based and are topped with ground cara-beef, pork liver, mung bean sprouts, and poached egg from whence the name batil patong literally "scrambled and placed on top" is thought to be derived. Sometimes, other vegetables, crushed pork-rind cracklings or chorizos are also added on top.

Seaweed pancit

Tiwi, Albay residents created a new pancit made from seaweed, which has health benefits. It is rich in calcium and magnesium and the seaweed noodles can be cooked into pancit canton, pancit luglug, spaghetti, or carbonara.^[2]

See also

• Rice vermicelli
• Filipino Chinese cuisine

References

1. Lumen, Nancy Reyes. (2005). Republic of Pancit. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism iReport, (1). Retrieved 2009-10-27.
2. Abs-Cbn Interactive, Albay folk promote seaweed 'pansit'

External links

• PCIJ report on Pancit

Cooking Instructions

• Yeepe.com http://yeepe.com/index.php/dining/15-how-to-cook-pancit-canton Step-by-step instructions on how to cook Pansit Canton]